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How to Wear White After Labor Day

Remember that old rule about not wearing white after Labor Day? Today’s the day to forget it.

If you style this color right, you can rock it all year round. Personally, we love white in the fall and winter even more than in the spring or summer. It provides a feeling of freshness in a colorscape (Is that a word? It is now.) that is almost always dark in the colder months.

Here are four of our tried-and-true tips for pulling off white this fall season:

1. Choose interesting textures.

Instead of trying to style a plain white tee for fall, opt for something with a little more texture, like a mini skirt with a slightly rough, woolen feel. Pair that textured skirt (or pants, if that’s how you roll) with a white knit sweater and a leather jacket for a look that feels light and easy, yet far from basic.

2. Pair with darker colors.

If you have a white or off-white blouse that feels summery on its own, wear it with darker colors. Throw a black bomber jacket over the blouse and pair it with some trendy plaid trousers. Top off your look with metallic footwear and an embroidered purse, and you’re done!

3. Look for trendy details.

To make a white top feel in-season, look for one that has a trendy detail, like ruffles on the shoulders. Then, pair that top with more classic pieces, like a knit pencil skirt, black ankle boots, and a simple crossbody bag, to toe the line between timeless and trendsetting.

4. Layer white-on-white knits

When all else fails, go for white on white! Layering a chunky white sweater over a white knit dress feels fashion forward while also looking simple and clean-cut.

Wearing white after Labor Day is no longer a fashion faux pas, so don’t tuck away your favorite white pieces just yet. All you have to do is style them thoughtfully, wear them with confidence, and most importantly, avoid red wine and spaghetti sauce like the plague. ❤

Featured models: Callie Barnett and Erin Spann

Fall Pants: Beyond the Skinny Jean

Quick poll: When you think of ‘fall pants’, what is the first item in your closet that comes to mind?

…Skinny jeans?

If that was your answer, we want to demonstrate how you can unleash the full potential fall fashion has to offer by looking beyond the skinny jean.

I love a good pair of skinny jeans as much as the next girl, but I’m honestly happy the fashion world is shifting focus away from this style for the time being. You may have noticed that the majority of fashion it girls only sparingly post photos of skinny jeans, even in their downtime. They moreso post shots of vintage-inspired jeans, trousers, and track pants.

For this shoot, I paired my favorite track pants with this funky button-down from Goodwill (I’m pretty hung up on those eye-shaped buttons) and a pair of black pumps with a metallic heel. I could have just as easily worn a pair of skinny jeans with this look, but track pants make this look feel fresh, instead of something I’ve worn literally hundreds of times.

This fall, don’t confine yourself to the box of strictly wearing skinny jeans with your cold-weather favorites. Wear your trousers with chunky sweaters and leather jackets. Wear your favorite pair of vintage jeans with an off-the-shoulder top. Or, as I did, wear track pants with your favorite button down and heels for a sporty twist on a classic look.

-S

It’s the rise of the high rise trousers this year! Only a year ago, you probably would have found me in black skinny jeans, booties, and a sweater nearly every day. This fall I decided I wanted to challenge myself to be more versatile in my wardrobe and not remain in my comfort zone.

This ensemble was inspired by my favorite blogger, Mary Lee (formerly Mary Seng) of Happily Grey. She recently wore an off-the-shoulder knit sweater with long fringe hanging off the sleeves and a high-waisted, gingham trouser. I took this inspiration and added my own twist with an aztec scarf and maroon accessories. It’s probably no surprise that I have been fawning over her ‘tomboy chic’ style–with its menswear-inspired details and straight leg trousers–all season.

If you want to rock your own version of this look, take these tips on high-waisted pants to heart. First off, never fear the crop. A structured black crop top with a pair of high-waisted pants is flattering on most body types! Second, to make your outfit look more finished, throw a cropped jacket or vintage blazer over your shoulders. And lastly, I’ll leave you with the holy grail of high-waisted pant styling tips: tuck in your shirt!

-H

Hannah’s Wearing:

Sabrina’s Wearing:

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, for which we will receive a small commission if you click on our link and buy a clothing or accessory item. Our opinions on those pieces are always our own! ❤

What to Wear For Fall When It Still Feels Like Summer

Pumpkin spice lattes and leather jackets are taking over Instagram once again, but if you live in the south, you know it feels less like fall and more like mid-July right about now. It’s t-shirt weather from sunup to sundown most days, which can be incredibly frustrating for us cold weather-loving ladies.

But, we can’t let that deter us from rocking the latest and greatest fall trends right alongside our favorite bloggers and Instagrammers! We just have to find those select few pieces that make us want to eat some warm pumpkin pie instead of feeling like we’re baking in the oven right alongside it. Here are our favorites:

The Kimono

If you want to feel like a real-life fashion superhero, step out onto your city streets (the sidewalks, actually) wearing a pair of sky-high heels and a billowing kimono.

You will fall in love with the kimono, not only because it makes you believe for a split second that you are literally Wonder Woman, but also due to the fact that this trend works in all seasons.

In the summer, you can throw a kimono over a mini skirt and a tank top, and in the winter, you can wear a long sleeve blouse under it and add some skinny jeans. It’s the perfect layering piece!

Velvet

And if a kimono makes you feel like a superhero, velvet makes you feel like a queen.

Velvet was a breakout trend last season and it is well on its way to taking the top spot this season. From ankle boots to bodysuits, you can find virtually any clothing or accessory item in velvet!

This fabric instantly makes you look glamorous, and it’s actually more breathable and comfortable than you might think.

The Mini Skirt

Mini skirts of all shapes and sizes are taking over 2017, which we love because this piece is subtly sexy and can be styled in nearly endless ways.

We personally love wearing our mini skirts with kimonos and heeled shoes, but you can also wear yours with tights, a sweater, and over-the-knee boots when cooler weather finally graces us with its presence.

Embroidery

Is it too soon to call embroidery a classic?

We dearly hope that embroidery sticks around forever (or at least until the end of our lifetimes) because if there is one trend that guarantees you will receive a ridiculous number of compliments, it’s embroidery.

Particularly embroidered footwear. (AKA the holy grail of fashion.)

An embroidered pair of ankle boots adds a fashion-forward edge to any look without also having the heat-retaining properties of embroidered jeans or an embroidered sweatshirt.

What are some of your favorite trends to wear during the transitional months?

Hannah’s Wearing:

Sabrina’s Wearing:

To Save Money, Splurge on What You Really Want

I know what you’re thinking after reading that, but hear me out.

For my entire life, I’ve been a fashionista on a budget. That means that after I browse Pinterest and stumble upon the dress or purse of my dreams, I usually scour the internet to find an acceptable substitute to save money.

Yet, nearly every time, I’ve found that the substitute doesn’t quite curb my craving for that piece. Then, I either throw my hands in the air and splurge on the item I originally wanted, or I toss the substitute into the back of my closet, never to be worn again.

I recently—finally–came to the conclusion that it would be better for my happiness (and my wallet) if I just bought the item I really wanted in the first place.

Otherwise, I will have completely wasted my money on something that I don’t even like, or I will have spent my money on the cheap substitutes PLUS whatever the original piece costs.

For example, I’ve been coveting these vintage, high-rise Levi’s for months now, and I’ve done my best to find a pair of jeans that fill the “vintage jeans void” in my wardrobe. I never really found an affordable substitute that had all the features I wanted, so I ended up paying $98 for this pair from Revolve.

To many of you, that may not sound like a lot of money to spend on a pair of jeans, but for me, it is. I typically find my jeans at TJ Maxx or thrift stores, so I had a difficult time hitting “complete order” on this one.

Yet, I’ve never been so glad that I did. These are absolutely everything I ever wanted out of a pair of jeans, and I know I will no longer need to shop for substitutes because I am finally satisfied.

Because I’m starting to splurge on the clothing and accessory items I really want, I’m not able to buy quite as many clothes, but that’s alright. I’m much happier with my fewer, better pieces than I ever was with my cheap substitutes.

So, even if you have to wait a couple months to save up the money to buy that Prada bag or that Beach Riot swimsuit, do it. Don’t buy the cheap knockoff.

I promise it will be worth it, and once you have that piece in your arms, it will leave you wanting for nothing.

-S

Sabrina’s Wearing:

Photos by: Durrell Green and H+L Creations

The Weird Off: Zara vs. Goodwill

Lately, the two of us have been in a “weird off” of sorts when it comes to choosing outfits for shoots. Our taste in fashion has definitely gotten funkier, so we can’t always find what we’re looking for at stores that mostly focus on basics, like H&M or Express.

We each chose statement tops and eccentric footwear on our trip to Nashville this past weekend, where in between watching the eclipse in the band of totality (life-changing) and eating at the Cheesecake Factory (SO good), we noticed that one of us was all decked out in Zara (H) and the other in Goodwill (S).

The realization that these are the two places we most commonly turn to for quirky clothes made us ask the question of who is weirder: Zara or Goodwill?

Off-the-Shoulder Top and Statement Purse

The outfit I’m wearing is almost entirely from Goodwill, which is quite a change for me because I’m usually the one in the all-Zara outfit. But, Hannah has lured me into her thrifting ways, and now I’m completely addicted to hunting for the strangest pieces I can find hidden in the overcrowded racks of secondhand clothing stores.

Goodwill is the place where people donate anything and everything, and as a result, you can find literally anything in there (I once found a Christian Dior shirt that I will not shut up about). You do have to hunt for those pieces, though, because most of them will not jump out at you from the moment you walk in the store.

You need to filter through every single piece on every single rack sometimes to find that one piece that takes your breath away. But rest assured, when you do find that one silk top with the puffy sleeves that tie back to the days of the Revolutionary War (like this one), it will give you chills because you know you will likely not ever meet another person who owns that shirt. As someone who loves to stand out, I can’t beat that.

-S

I think if there’s one thing we can rely on when it comes to being fashion forward, it’s the element of surprise. From fishnet socks to statement earrings (like Sabrina’s here), this year has been one for the books when it comes to odd fashion trends.

First, let me say that I have always been–and always will be–the thrifting queen. Until recently, I only ever used to shop at secondhand stores like Goodwill whenever I was looking looking for unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. Yet in the months since we started Ensemble of Elan, I’ve become more and more enamored by online brands that are known for their out-of-the-box, statement pieces.

The one place I can always find the on-trend, Pinterest-worthy pieces is none other than Zara. Every time I visit their site, I fall in love with everything from their funky flare pants and open back button downs (and then get my heart broken when all of the clothes in my cart go out of stock, because they’re so popular)! I snagged this off-the-shoulder top and polka-dot mini skort during one of Zara’s amazing sales for under $30.

Thrift stores will always have a special place in my heart for finding unique vintage pieces, but there is also something about Zara that makes my heart flutter.

-H

Geometric Sunglasses & Statement Earrings

Goodwill and Zara are odd in each of their own magnificent ways, and honestly, we cannot choose whom to award the title of “The Best Place to Find Weird Fashion.”

What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

Hannah’s Wearing:

Sabrina’s Wearing: